Valve



March 25, 1952 c, BODEY I 2,590,674

VALVE Filed Nov. 24', 1948 IINVENTOR. CHflfiLES E. 5005) main valve.

Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT Poi-Flee VALVE Charles E.Bodey, :St. Paul, ;Minn,, assignor 'to Minneapolis-Honeywell RegulatorCompany, ,Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationNovember 24, 1948, SerialNo. 61,868

flow systems wherein fluid is to be supplied from -a single source totwo or more devices, .the invention will be described as being appliedto a fuel burning system.

In supplying fuel gas to a furnace, wherein there is usually amainburner and a pilot burner for igniting the main burner, it is customaryto provide a safety valve which will shut off the newer gas to the mainand pilot burners whenever :the flame at the pilot burner becomesextinguished. This is to prevent the escapeofzunburned gas into thesurrounding atmosphere and to preventan .explosiondue to the ignitionofthis miburned-igas. Also, in order to put the burner back in operation,it is customary to provide in the valve controlling the-flow ofgastothefurnace amanual preset mechanism which whenoperated, first permitsthe flow of gas to the pilot burner :and then, after the pilothas'beenburning a.few

seconds, permits the fiow of gas to the main :burn'er. Thi is usuallyaccomplished by having .a .thermopile positioned in the pilot burner soas .to energize an electromagnet'when the pilot is burning .and havingthe e'lectromagnet so related with the reset mechanism as to permit thereturn movement of the manual control to open said .Sucha valve is shownin a Joesting Patent 125 118,886, dated May '31, 1938, and numerousother patents well known in the fuel burning art.

.An objeeto'f this invention is :to provide a compactandran inexpensivebut .re'liable valve for accomplishing a :safety reset of the fueldelivery means of-a gas burning furnace.

Another object of the invention is to provide .a safety reset valvewhich has an adjustable means for varying the drop-out point of the.electromagnet, that is, the degree of energization of thee'lectromagnet which permits the armature holding thezvalve in'its openposition to leave the .electromagnetand thus close-the valve.

A further obiec't of the invention is to provide a pilot'outlet tappingin the valve body which is readily connectable to most any gas furnaceinstallation.

A stillrfurther object of the invention is to provide a fluidfiow,control'valve that is readily dis assenibletl and reassembled and"wherein the 818-- merits :of the valve 'are simple, sturdy and ofdurable construction.

Additional objects of the invention will become apparent upon readingthe following detailed description :of the invention in conjunction withthe:aeeompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is :a *cross sectional View :of the fluid :c'ontroldeviceFigure 2 across-sectional view ofa portion-oi :the fluid :flow:contro'ldevice takenalong line 22 :ofiFigui-e 1;; and

Figures 3, .4 and 5 'are schematic illustrations of the relativepositions assumeliiby the elements of the :control "device during theactuation orthe :device from its :closed :position to its operativeposition.

The inventionzcomprisesa valve 'body [I havin'g a threaded :inlet 1 2,a'threaded outlet 1:3 for discharging :a large amount of fluid, .tas toa main burner of :a .furnace, and a threaded ioutlet :M .ior(discharging asmaller amount of fluid, as to .pilo't burner.

A partition :15 ."has a valve seat luatthe upstream end of the outlet l3 :andavalve seat Hatthe upstreamend of'thenutle'tM. .The

body is open at its top, as shown at I8, :while surface of said bottom.

An inverted cup-shaped partition 22 has an outwardly flanged portionwhich rests on the top wall of the valve body with a gasket23therebetween. This partition has bearing members "24 and 25 staked inopenings therein in axial alignment with the valve seats I 6 and I1,respectively.

A main valve 26, having a covering of rubber or other relatively softmaterial 26a, rests on the valve seat 136. The valve has a stem 21 whichex tends through the-bearing member 24 to provide guided axial movementof the valve away from =and-toward the valve seat. Aspring 28 surroundsthe lower portion of the bearing member 24 and bear against the underside of the partition "22 at one .end thereof .and against an upwardlycupped shoulder member 29 staked to the valve 216. This spring normallyholds the valve 26 against the valve. seat I5.

, valve '30, also made of relatively soft mate- :rial and which normallyengages thevalve seat 11, is secured to a valve stem 3|. The stemextends through the inner portion of the outlet passage 54, through thebore '20 and] through the recess 2| to a point beyond the bottom sur 3face of the body. The outer end of the stem 3| is screwthreaded at 32and has a screwthreaded bore 33 extending inwardly from the outer end. Asleeve-like knob 34 is internally threaded and mounted for axialadjustment on the threaded portion 32 of the stem 3|. A look screw 35has a head portion, which bears against the lower end of the knob 34,and a body portion, which extends upwardly inside of said knob and intoscrewthreaded engagement with the threaded bore 33 for locking the knob34 in its adjusted position on the stem 3|. A spring 36 bears againstthe upper end of the knob 34 and extends upwardly into recess 2| andinto engagement with packing washers 31 to sealingly compress packing 38against the body and against the stem 3 I, to prevent the escape of gasthrough the bore 20. It is thus seen that by loosening the lock screw 35and by adjusting the knob 34, the pressure that the spring 36 exerts ina valve closing direction may be varied to satisfy any particular need.A removable sleeve ||a frictionally engages a portion of the body H toprotect the stem 3| and knob 34 from damaging blows and accidentalactuation thereof.

An inverted cup-shaped sealing housing 39 has an outwardly extendingflange 40, extending parallel to the flange on the partition member 22,and a downwardly extending flange 4| which surrounds the upper marginalportion of the valve body. A gasket 42 is positioned between flange 43and the flange on the partition member 22. The housing, the partitionand the gaskets are all clamped to the top portion of the valve body bymeans of a plurality of screws 43 passing through aligned holes in saidmembers and screwthreaded into the bores l9.

An electromagnet, generally designated by the reference numeral 44, thedetails of which form no portion of this invention, is suitably securedto the top portion of the housing 39 by means, not shown. The coil ofthis relay is adapted to be sufliciently energized to hold a cooperatingvalve-supporting armature by the current generated by a small thermopilenot shown. The leads from the electromagnets coil are adapted to beconnected to the leads from the thermopile through a suitable terminalblock (not shown) mounted on the housing 39.

The armature 45, which cooperates with the electromagnet 44, is looselystaked to, the upper end of a stem 46 so as to assure complete contactof the upper surface of the armature against the poles on the elctromagnet. Stem 46 extends downwardly through the -bearing member 25and carries a pivot pin 4'| at its lower end.

Referring now to Figure 2, as well as Figure 1, mechanism whereby thearmature 45 is moved into engagement with the electromagnet 44 and themain valve is caused to be opened will now bedescribed. A yoke member 48has an opening 49 in the upper surface thereof, through which the stem48 is vertically slidable, and is riveted or otherwise secured to theupper side of the valve 30. The yoke has two vertical side walls 48awhich are vertically slotted at 50 to slidably receive the ends of thepivot 41 extending outwardly from the stem 45. This slot thereforeprovides relative movement between the armature and the valve 30 for apurpose to be presently described. An end wall 48b of the yoke memberhas a vertical slot 5| to slidably receive a free end of a floatinglever 52, now to be described. 1

The floating lever 52 comprises two laterally spaced arms 52a bridged bya horizontally extending portion 52b. The left hand ends of the arms 52aare outwardly bowed, so as to straddle the body portion of the valve 26,and are longitudinally slotted at 53 to slidably receive a pin 54extending through the valve body and the stem 21. The slot is to provideslight transverse movement of the lever 52 with respect to the stem asthe lever 52 is pivoted. The intermediate portion of the lever 52extends between the side walls 48a of the yoke member with the outerfree end of the lever extending through the slot 5| in the wall 48b ofthe yoke member. Lever 52 is pivoted on the armature stem 46 by thepivot 41. The coaction of the elements of a device, as well as theirstructural dimensions, will become clear upon reading how the valveoperates, which will now be described.

Operation With the valve of this invention installed in a gas heatingsystem, such as a domestic heating system, with the inlet 2 connected toa source of gas supply, the outlet I3 connected to a main burner, theoutlet |4 connected to a pilot burner, and the leads to theelectromagnet 44 connected to a thermopile heated by said pilot burner,the heating system will be in its shutdown condition due to the factthat the pilot valve 3|) and the main valve 26 are in their closedpositions, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3.

To place the heating system into operation, the knob 34 is shovedinwardly as far as it will go, that is, until the armature 45 engagesthe electromagnet 44, as illustrated in Figure 4. Gas will thus bepermitted to flow from the inlet l2 past the valve 38 and out throughthe outlet l4 to the pilot burner, where the gas may be ignited manuallyor by a remote ignition means, not shown. It will be noted that when thearmature has been moved to engagement with the electromagnet 44, yokemember 48 has been moved to its uppermost position and the floatinglever 52 has been pivoted about pivot 54 to an angular relationship withrespect to the stems 3|, 46 and 21 with the upper surface of the freeend close to or in engagement with the upper end of the slot 5|. Thespring 28 will hold the valve 26 against the valve seat I6 during thislifting movement of the valve 30 and armature 45. The knob 34 must beheld in this uppermost positionfor a time sufficient to allowenergization of the electromagnet by the thermopile. This time isusually of only a few minutes duration at the most. Upon theelectromagnet becoming energized, releasing of the knob 34 will permitthe spring 36 to move the valve 30 toward its seat H with the pivot 41sliding in slot 50. Downward movement of the stem 3| will cause the yoke48 at the upper end of slot 5| to bear down on the free end of the lever52 and rock said lever about pivot 47 to raise the valve 26 against thebias of spring 28 as illustrated in Figure 5. The relative strengths ofthe springs 36 and 28 are such that spring 35 can overcome spring 28 anamount sufiicient to move the valve 26 to its wide open position but notpermit the valve 38 to move to its closed position. It will thus be seenthat the pivot 4! will assume a position substantially midway the lengthof the slot 50. Dueto the shorter distance between the pivot 41 and theslot 5| than between the pivot 41 and the pivot 54', yoke member 48 willreturn a smaller distance after the top of the slot 5| envalves for anypilot burner installation.

" anemone 'electromagnet 44. This causes'the closing of both valves 39and 26 due to'the bias of bothspring 28 and spring 36. Also, should thepilot burner become clogged so as to give aninadequate flame for heatingthe thermopile up to its normal operating temperature, a dangerouscondition would then exist due to the fact that the pilot flame wouldprobably be unable to ignite the main burner. Therefore, it is desirablethat the drop out value or degree of energization of the electromagnetbe adjustable so as to assure proper dropping out of the armature andclosing of the This adjustment is provided in the present invention bythe adjustable knob 34 varying the compression of the spring 36. If itis desired that the armature drop out when the pilot flame drops only asmall amount below its normal intensity, the knob 34 will be screwedinwardly on thestem 3! to increase the compression of the sprin 36. Ifit is desired that the armature drop out only if the flame goes out ordrops considerably below the normal flame intensity, the knob 34 will beadjusted outwardly on the stem 3|.

Shutdown of the furnace may be accomplished by manually pulling the knob34 outwardly so as to pull the armature '45 away from the electromagnet,or by extinguishing the pilot flame manually, or by disconnecting one ofthe leads from the thermopile to the terminal block 'on the valve.

Conclusion From the above detailed description of the 'invention, it isapparent that this new valve provides safe starting of a furnace as wellas ready installation in the furnace system and provides means forexternally adjusting the valve so as to vary the dropout value of thesafety control mechanism.

As various modifications may be made of the present invention by thoseskilled in the art, -.without departing from the spirit thereof, it isto be outlet, a second valve having a stem extending through a portionof said second outlet and 3 normally biasingsaid second valve :into.sealing engagement with the inner end of said second outlet, a housingsuperimposed around :said partition .and supporting; :an electromagnetgenerally above a second guide opening in said :partiti'on, "an armaturecooperable with said xelectromagnet and having a stem extending throughsaid second guide opening, said electromagnet being strong enough whenenergized to hold butJnotJattract said armature, .a lever pivoted :atone :end

to .said main valve and connected intermediate its ends to the lower endof :said armature stem by a pivot, and a yoke secured to said secondvalve, said yoke having an axially extending slot through which saidpivot extends and ca laterally spaced slot through which the other endof said lever extends, said slots being .nf such length and position asto enable said sec ond valve stem and yoke to be 'manuallyinoved toposition said armature into engagement with said electromagnet and torotate said :lever about its pivotal connection with saidmain valve and,when released with said armature being held 'by saidelectromagnet, to'enablersaid yoke to engage said other end of said .lever and rotatelever so as to move .said main valve open while preventing the completereturn of said second valve to its seating position.

2. A fluid control device as defined in claim 1 wherein the abutment onthe outer end of said secondary valve stem is longitudinallyadjustableon said stem.

3. A fluid flow control device comprising 'a body having an open side,an inlet in said body, a main outlet and a second outlet in said body, apartition spanning said open side and having spaced guide openingstherein, a main valve having a stem extending through one of :saidopenings, a spring between said valve and said partition normallybiasing said valve into sealing relationship with said main outlet, :asecond valve having a stern extending through a portion of said secondoutlet and through the bottom of said body, a spring positioned betweensaid body and an abutment on the outer endzo'f said second valve stemand'normally biasing said second valve into sealing engagement with.said second outlet, a housing superimposed around said partition andsupporting an electromagnet generally above a second guide opening insaid partition, an armature vcooperable with said electromagnet andhaving a stem extending through said second guide opening, saidelectromagne't being strong enough when energized to hold but notattract said armature, a lever pivoted at one end to said main valve andconnected intermediate its ends to the lower end of said armature stemby a pivot, and a yoke secured to said second valve, said yoke having anaxially "extending slot through which said pivot extends and a laterallyspaced slot through which the other end of said lever extends, saidslots "being of such length and position as to enable saids'econd valvestem and yoke to be manually moved to position said armature intoengagement with said electromagnet and to rotate said lever aboutits-pivotal connection with said main valve and, when released with saidarmature being held by said electromagnet, to enable said yoke to engagesaid other end or" said lever and rotate said lever so as to move saidmain valve open while preventing the complete return of said secondvalve to itsseating position.

4. A fluid flow control device comprising a body having an open top, aninlet in said body, a main outlet and a second outlet insaid body, acup-shaped partition spanning said open top and having spaced guideopenings therein, a main valve having a stem extending through one ofsaid openings, a spring between said valve and said partition normallybiasing said valve into sealing relationship with said main outlet, asecond valve having a stem extending through the bottom of said body, aspring positioned between said body and an abutment on the outer end ofsaid second valve stem and normally biasing said second valve intosealing engagement with the inner end of said second outlet, a housingcovering said partition and supporting an electromagnet generally abovea second guide opening in said partition, an armature cooperable withsaid electromagnet and having a stem extending through said second guideopening, said electromagnet being strong enough when energized to holdbut not attract said armature, a lever pivoted at one end to said mainvalve and connected intermediate its ends to the lower end of saidarmature stem by a pivot, and a yoke operably engaging said second valveand having an axially extending slot through which said pivot extendsand a laterally spaced slot through which the other end of said leverextends, said slots being of such length and position as to enable saidsecond valve stem and yoke to be manually moved to position saidarmature into engagement with said electromagnet and to rotate saidlever about its pivotal connection with said main valve and, whenreleased with said armature being held by said electromagnet, to enablesaid yoke to engage said other end of said lever and rotate said leverso as to move said main valve open while preventing the complete returnof said second valve to its seating position.

5. A fluid flow control device comprising a body having an open side, aninlet in said body, a main outlet and a second outlet in said body, apartition spanning said open side and having spaced guide openingstherein, a main valve having a stem extending through one of saidopenings, a spring between said valve and said partition normallybiasing said valve into sealing relationship with said main outlet, asecond valve having a stem extending through the bottom of said body, aspring positioned between said body and an abutment on the outer end ofsaid second valve stem and normally biasing said second valve intosealing engagement with said second outlet, a housing covering saidpartition and supporting an electromagnet generally above a second guideopening in said partition, an armature cooperable with saidelectromagnet and having a stem extending through said second guideopening, said electromagnet being capable of holding but not attractingsaid armature, a lever pivoted at one end to said main valve andconnected intermediate its ends to the lower end of said armature stemby a pivot, and a yoke secured to said second valve, said yoke having anaxially extending slot through which said pivot extends and a laterallyspaced slot through which the other end of said lever extends, one endof said axially extending slot being engageable with said pivot in saidarmature stem for lifting said armature into engagement with saidelectromagnet when said second valve is opened and one end of thelaterally spaced slot being engageable with said other end of said leveronly when said armature is being held by said electromagnet and saidsecond valve stem is free to return toward its normal sealing position.

6. In a valve, the combination comprising a valve body having two valveseats, a first valve biased toward one of said seats, a second valvebiased toward said second seat, an armature, an electromagnet capable ofholding but not attracting said armature, a lever pivoted to said firstvalve and to said armature cooperating therewith, a yoke memberconnected to said second valve and having a first lost motion connectionwith said armature and a second lost motion connection with said lever,and a manual actuator connected to said second valve, said first lostmotion connection being operable to lift said armature into engagementwith said electromagnet and said lever almost into engagement with saidyoke at said second lost motion connection and said second lost motionconnection being operable to pivot said lever about its pivotalconnection with said armature to open said first valve and partiallyreturn said second valve toward its seat under the bias of said secondvalve when said armature is being held by said electromagnet.

7. In a valve, the combination comprising a valve body having two valveseats, a first valve biased toward one of said seats, a second valvebiased toward said second seat, an armature, an electromagnet capable ofholding but not attracting said armature, a lever pivoted to said firstvalve and to said armature, a yoke member connected to said second valveand having a first lost motion connection with said armature for liftingsaid armature and a second lost motion connection with said lever forlifting said first valve by rocking said lever about its pivotalconnection with said armature when said armature is held by saidelectromagnet, and an actuator connected to said second valve andextending to the exterior of said valve body.

8. In a control device having a first and a second control member and acondition responsive unit capable of holding said control members intheir operating position but incapable of moving them to said position,the improvement comprising a lever pivoted to said first control memberand to a portion of said condition responsive unit, a yoke connected tosaid second control member, said yoke having a first lost motionconnection with said portion of said condition responsive unit and asecond lost motion connection with said lever, and means for moving saidsecond control member to place said portion and said second controlmember in operative position, said means being operable through saidlost motion connections to move said first control member to itsoperative position only if said condition responsive means is holdingsaid portion thereof and said second control member in operativeposition.

9. In a control device having a first and a second control member, and acondition responsive unit capable of holding said control members intheir operating position but incapable of moving said members to saidposition, the improvement comprising a lever pivoted to said firstcontrol member and to a movable portion of said condition responsiveunit, a yoke connected to said second control member, said movableportion of said yoke having a pin and slot connection with saidcondition responsive unit for moving said second member and said portionto operating positions and a lost motion connection with said lever forrocking said lever and moving said first member to its operatingposition, and means for manually moving said second control member intooperating position and for returning it to its inoperative position whenreleased by said condition responsive unit.

9 10. A value comprising a valve body having tw valve seats, a mainvalve biased toward one of said seats, a second valve having a stemextending through a wall of said body, an actuating member on the outerend of said stem for moving said second valve to an open position andhaving means for axial adjustment thereof on said stem, resilient meansbetween said member and said body biasing said stem outwardly and saidsecond valve towards its seat, means capable of holding said valves intheir open position but incapable of moving said valves to saidposition, and lost motion connecting means between said main and secondvalve for actuating said main valve to its open position by returnmovement of said second valve part way toward its seating position whensaid holding means is in its valve holding condition.

11. A valve comprising a valve body having two valve seats, a main valvebiased toward one of said seats, a second valve having a stem extendingthrough a wall of said body, a manual- 1y operable member on the outerend of said stem having means for axial adjustment thereof on said stem,means between said member and said body biasing said stem outwardly andsaid second valve towards its seat, condition re sponsive means capableof releasably holding said valves in their open position but unable tomove said valve to said position, and means between said main and secondvalve for actuating said main valve to its open position by movement ofsaid second valve part way toward its seating position when said holdingmeans is in its valve holding condition.

12-. A control device comprising a first control member movable betweenoperating and incperating positions, means biasing said first controlmember to its inoperating position, a second control member manuallymovable between opcrating and inoperating positions, means biasing saidsecond control member to' its inoperating position, condition responsivemeans capable of holding but incapable of moving said valves into theiroperating positions, a lever pivoted at one of its ends to said firstcontrol member and intermediate its ends to a movable portion of said 7condition responsive means, means movable by said second control memberfor moving said portion into operating position and being separabletherefrom, said last mentioned means having an abutment thereon normallyspaced from the other end of said lever but engageable with sald otherend when said movable portion is held in operating position, said secondmentioned biasing means being sufficiently strong that, when said secondcontrol means is free to move in response thereto and only when saidmovable portion is held in operating position, it is capable of engagingand rotating said lever about its intermediate pivot and move said firstcontrol member to its operating position against the action of itsbiasing means.

13. A control device as defined in claim 12 wherein said second controlmeans is substantially in axial alignment with said movable portion ofsaid condition responsive means.

CHARLES E. BODEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,268,960 Ray Jan. 6, 19422,354,704 Ray Aug. 1, 1944 2,363,073 Mantz Nov. 21, 1944 2,375,517Blauvelt May 8, 1945 2,427,935 Van Denberg Sept. 23, 1947 2,481,265 VanDenberg Sept. 6, 1949

